Tube container dispensing device



July 10, 1962 E. A. EWERT 3,043,485

TUBE CONTAINER DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 17, 1959 INVENTOR. E M u L.A. Ews 21' mm mm r-Qmz'aam ATTOEHE Y5 tates Unite The present inventionrelates to a dispensing device for attachment to a collapsible tubecontainer.

Tube containers of the type which are employed to contain and dispensetoothpaste and the like generally have threaded discharge necks providedwith a small removable cap provided by the manufacturer. As such atoothpaste containing container is used several times daily in theaverage household, removal or replacement of the cap provided by themanufacturer frequently is a nuisance and invariably the cap ismisplaced or lost. Dispensing devices in the form of closures or capshave been previously proposed and have been of many types. On the whole,they have not been successful for various reasons. Most closuresordispensing devices which have been proposed fail to provide means fortightly sealing the container discharge opening and the toothpaste orother contents of the tube becomes smeared about the openin'g'due to itstendency to continue to issue from the container after the applicationof pressure to the container has been discontinued. Other caps fail intheir purpose for the reason that they are difficult to attach to anddetach from a collapsible tube container discharge neck.

An object of the present invention is to provide a discharge device forclosing a collapsible tube paste-containing container which lends itselfto ready attachment to and detachment from the discharge neck of a tubecontainer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensingdevice for attachment to the discharge neck of a collapsible tubecontainer which tightly seals the discharge neck and prevents thespillage or wastage of the contents of the tube about the neck of thecontainer during use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dispensingdevice for attachment to the discharge neck of a collapsible tubecontainer which lends itself to ready manufacture at reasonable cost,lends itself to fabrication in plastics or other materials onconventional molding machines, and one'which may be adapted forattachment to collapsible tube containers of all types.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will befully apparent from the following description when taken in conjunctionwith the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is-an isometric view of the upper end portion of a collapsibletube container with the dispensing device of the present inventioninstalled thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the assembly shown in FIGURE 1, the dottedline. showing the swung-openposition of the dispensing device cap;FIGURE 3 is an elevational view;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG- URE 3, the dotted lineshowing the lifted position of the cap; and

FIGURE 5 is an isometric View of the dispensing device of the presentinvention removed from the tube, as viewed from the back, one side, andfrom the bottom.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral 10 designatesthe discharge neck of a collapsible tube container 12 of the type usedgenerally to dispense toothpaste or the like. The dispensing device ofthe present invention is designated generally by the reference numeral14 and comprises an elongated member 16 having a bore 18 extendingaxially therethrough from one end 20 to the other end 22.

Patented July 10, 1962 ICC v The device 14 is positioned so that thebore 18 is in axial alignment with the discharge neck 10 of thecontainer 12. v

The wall of the portion of the bore 18 extending inwardly from the end20 and terminating at a point spaced from the end 22 is formed withthreads as at 24 (FIG- URES 4 and 5) threadedly engaging the externalthreads on the discharge neck 10 of the container 12. The terminatingpoint of the threaded portion of the bore 18 is provided with a shoulder26 on which is received a washer or sealing element 28.

An extension 30 projects in an upwardly and outwardly sloping directionfrom the elongated member 16 intermediate the ends of the latter andcarries on its upper end a horizontally disposed shelf 32. The extension30 includes a reinforcing web 34 arranged vertically and projectingdownwardly from one side edge portion of the extension 30, as shown mostclearly in FIGURE 3.

A resilient strip 36 is arranged longitudinally of and above theextension 30 and has the portion adjacent one end extending over andspaced from the end of the bore 18 contiguous with the upper end 22. Theother end of the strip 36 is pivotally connected by means of a rivet 38to the shelf 3'2 for swinging movement about the rivet 38 as a verticalaxis, this movement being shown in FIGURE 2 in which the dotted lineshowing indicatesthe swung outwardly position of the strip 36.

One end of the strip 36 is provided with ridges 40, forming an anchorfor a cap 42 which is molded about the end portion of the strip 36. Theunderface of the cap 42 is provided with a beveled recess "44 whichnormally bears against the upper end 22 of the elongated member 16 andcloses the bore 18 in the member 16.

The handle 46 projects upwardly and outwardly from the cap 42 on theside of the latter remote from the strip 36. The handle and cap areformed integrally.

In use, the cap which is provided by the manufacturer of the'container12 is discarded and the device 14 is attached to the neck 10 of thecontainer 12 by threading the threaded portion of the bore 18 on theneck 10 with the washer or sealing element 28 interposed between andsealingly engaging the perimeter of the discharge neck and the shoulder26.

When in position on the neck 10 of the container 12, the device 14 ispositioned so that the portion of the bore 18 adjacent the member end 20is circumposed about and is removably attached to the discharge neck 10of the container 12. The remaining portion of the bore 18 is exteriorlyof and above the discharge neck 10.

The cap 42 may now be lifted by bending the strip 36 from the full lineposition to the dotted line position, shown in FIGURE 4, and the cap 42may be swung about the rivet 38 as an axis from the full line positionshown in FIGURE 2 to the dotted line position. This opens the bore 18for discharge of the contents of the container 12 therethrough; Uponreseating of the cap 42 on the end 22 of the member 16, the doubledrecess 44 effectively cuts off the flow of the contents out of thecontainer 12 and the resiliency of the strip 36 tightly presses thewalls of the recess 44 down on the member end 22, protecting thecontents of the container 12 from contamination.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with the discharge neck of a pastecontaining tube, ofa dispensing device comprising an elongated member having a boreextending axially therethrough from one end to the other end thereofpositioned so that the bore is in linear alignment with said dischargeneck and having the portion of said bore adjacent one end circumposedabout and removably attached to 1 said discharge neck with the remainingportion of said bore exteriorly of and above the discharge neck, anextensio-n projecting in an upwardly and outwardly sloping directionfrom said member intermediate the ends thereof, a horizontally disposedshelf positioned adjacent to and fixedly carried by the upper end ofsaid extension, a resilient strip arranged longitudinally of and abovesaid extension and having the portion adjacent one end extending overand spaced from the other end of the bore of said member and having theportion adjacent the other end pivotally connected to said shelf forswinging movement about a vertical axis, and acap positioned in closingrelation with respect to the other end of the bore of said member andfixedly secured to said one end of said strip.

2. The combination with an externally threaded discharge neck of apaste-containing tube, of a dispensing device comprising an elongatedmember having a bore extending axially therethrough from one end to theother end thereof and having the wall of the portion of the boreextending inwardly from one end of said member and terminating at apoint spaced from the other end of said member threaded and forming atthe terminating point a shoulder, said member being positioned so thatsaid bore portion is circumposed about and is in threaded engagementwith said neck with the shoulder contiguous to and spaced from saidneck, a sealing element interposed between and sealingly engaging theperimeter of said discharge neck and said shoulder, an extensionprojecting in an upwardly and outwardly sloping direction from saidmember intermediate the ends thereof, a hori zontally disposed shelfpositioned adjacent to and fixedly carried by the upper end of saidextension, a resilient strip arranged longitudinally of and above saidextension and having the portion adjacent one end extending over andspaced from the other end of the bore of said member and having theportion adjacent the other end pivotally connected to said shelf forswinging movement about a vertical axis, and a cap positioned in closingrelation with respect to the other end of the bore of said member andfixedly secured to said one end of said strip.

3. The combination with the discharge neck of a pastecontaining tube, ofa dispensing device comprising an elongated member having a boreextending axially therethrough from one end to the other end thereofpositioned so that the bore is in linear alignment with said dischargeneck and having the portion of said bore adjacent one end circumposedabout and removably attached to said discharged neck with the remainingportion of said bore exteriorly of and above the discharge neck, anextension projecting in an upwardly and outwardly sloping direction fromsaid member intermediate the ends thereof, a horizontally disposed shelfpositioned adjacent to and fixedly carried by the upper end of saidextension, a resilient strip arranged longitudinally of and above saidextension and having the portion adjacent one end extending over andspaced from the other end of the bore of said member and having theportion adjacent the other endpivotally connected to said shelf forswinging movement about a vertical 'axis, a cap positioned in closingrelation with respect to the other end of the bore of said member andfixedly secured to said one end of said strip, and a handle projectingupwardly and outwardly from said cap.

4. The combination with an externally threaded discharge neck of apaste-containing tube, of a dispensing device comprising an elongatedmember having a bore extending axially therethrough from one end to theother end thereof and having the wall of the portion of the boreextending inwardly from one end of said member and terminating at apoint spaced from the other end of said member threaded and forming atthe terminating point a shoulder, said member being positioned so thatsaid bore portion is circumposed about and is in threaded engagementwith said neck with the shoulder contiguous to and spaced from saidneck, a sealing element interposed between and sealingly engaging theperimeter of said discharge neck and said shoulder, an extensionprojecting in an upwardly and outwardly sloping direction from saidmember intermediate the ends thereof, -a horizontally disposed shelfpositioned adjacent to and fixedly carried by the upper end of saidextension, a resilient strip arranged longitudinally of and above saidextension and having the portion adjacent one end extending over andspaced from the other end of the bore of said member and having theportion adjacent the other end pivotally connected to said shelf forswinging movement about a vertical axis, a cap positioned in closingrelation with respect to the other end of the bore of said member andfixedly secured to said one end of said strip, and a handle projectingupwardly and outwardly from said cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,211,043 Bartlett Jan. 2, 1917 2,039,145 Burns -i Apr. 28, 19362,505,406 Johnson Apr. 25, 1950

